VisaToRussia

Got it!
In the end it was more scary than painful..
I used visatorussia.com to get my invitation (the cheapest one i could find). $30 for the invitation letter and $20 for the detailed bullshit program of what i'll be doing there each and every day for a month.. all received by fax
Just so you don't get as confused as i was: http://visatorussia.com/, http://waytorussia.net/ and http://www.intelservice.ru/ are all one single agency!
I also had to call VISA (the credit cards.. tel: 01 41 85 88 81) for them to send me an insurance certificate.
A photo and the offcial form that i downloaded off http://www.action-visas.com/
54€ to the embassy and a week later (which is this morning) i got my one month visa..

In the process you also get to visit the beautiful ambassy of russia in paris, which pretty much resembles a huge concrete bunker where people welcome you with a warmth approaching siberian temperatures.

In sharp contrast, the embassy of mongolia is nice suburban pavilion. No one is standing in line two hours before it opens. You just ring the bell like when you're going to your friend's house. Basic but nice decoration, carpets and real wood furniture and they even smile! "you don't have your insurance certificate with you? it's allright, you'll bring it along when you come retrieve your visa!"
Only in the end i didn't get the visa.. it's only valid for 3 months from the date of issue so i should just wait a little and get it just before i leave..